Archives For Les Miserables

What a whirlwind of a day yesterday at the beautiful Gawsworth Hall Theatre. This beautiful ancient Cheshire Manor House with its Tudor courtyard forms the backdrop for the venue. Fortunately the Grandstand and performers areas are covered and protected from most of the elements; however it rained throughout the rehearsals as we caught the tail end of hurricane Bertha 🙁

I began my day at 8am by having a good breakfast following which a skilled hairdresser looped my hair and pinned it into place ready for the performance that night.

This month I’d discovered that a friend from Tap class and High School had qualified as a beautician; Daniella is now working freelance and building her own business which I really admire. I hardly ever wear much makeup, usually only for stage work, or for special occasions, so consequently I’m not very experienced. I usually end up getting mascara all up my eyelids and if I’ve already put eye shadow on that’s a bit annoying, blending powders and not getting a chin line is a skill I’m still mastering and let’s not mention my attempts at eye liner! So I took the opportunity to have a master-class from Danielle ready for the performance, great fun and lovely to catch up.

You all know by now that I have a wonderful amount of support from my family and friends, yesterday my parents drove me to the event for 1pm for a meeting and full cast rehearsals. I got the opportunity to rehearse my first act songs, ‘Think of Me’ and ‘Wishing you were Somehow Here Again’ from the Phantom of the Opera with Christopher Ellis and Derrick McGill ( Des ) who provided atmospheric accompaniment including timpani, trills and skills. My brother Tom said that they added so much to the songs and he was really impressed.

The audience came dressed for the weather and were not put off by the chance of more rain .

It was great to see everyone was in the mood for a great show.

During my first solo song, “Think Of Me” from “The Phantom Of The Opera”.

Then with a cloak to help set the scene for my next song “Wishing You were Somehow Here Again” from “the Phantom Of The Opera”.

After the interval and a quick change I performed Eponine’s songs “On My Own” and “A Little Fall Of Rain” from “Les Miserables”.

Then good fortune shone down on us,the rain cleared up just before the performance, and although it was still quite windy the skies stayed that way until the end of the show. On the way home the rain poured down for the entire journey with the roads flooding.

I loved that despite the weather people still brought their gazebos and enjoyed their picnics overlooking the beautiful lake, we’re hardy souls us Brits. 🙂

I am looking forward to returning to Rochdale in Lancashire again this summer to perform in a lunch time recital with Russell Lomas. I love to perform in these recitals and I get a lovely warm reception from the audiences who attend. I have several others in the diary for over the summer break and will keep you all informed during the coming weeks.

One of the songs that I have been working on this year is “Endless Pleasure, Endless Love” from Handel’s opera Semele. I was beautifully accompanied on the piano here by Russell Lomas in Warrington.

One date to keep free if you are in the Cheshire area is Sunday August the 10th. I have been asked, along with four other soloists, to join the Tideswell Male Voice Choir again this year for their Gawsworth Hall summer spectacular. Dennis Kay has asked me to sing two new songs from “The Phantom of The Opera” during the first half of the show and then perform the songs that I sang last year from “Les Miserables” in the second half.

It is a wonderful venue with large open gardens which make a beautiful backdrop for an afternoon picnic before the show starts at 18:30 pm. Having attended school in Knutsford, Cheshire I love to perform here as it is close enough to bump into old friends and catch up with them 🙂